Abstract

Poland Chooses-What's at Stake

The article presents views of authors on November 25 Poland elections. Poland tried for the first time in its history, to elect a President through universal suffrage. Although there are six candidates, the main battle is a fratricidal duel between two leaders of solidarity, Lech Walesa and Tadeusz Mazowiecki, Poland's Prime Minister for more than a year. One of the authors said Lech Walesa is both "national savior" and labor leader, and therein lies his dilemma. Solidarity is no longer the power it once was. To be more accurate, the people are still grateful to solidarity for helping them to get rid of the previous regime, and that is why the presidential poll is a contest between two of its representatives. But the workers no longer trust it as the defender of their interests.